From the Chacra to the Tienda: Dietary delocalization in the Peruvian Andes. Issue 3 (3rd July 2018) - Cantor, Allison R.
Abstract: The Peruvian Andes are home to incredible biodiversity, which has sustained human life for thousands of years. However, consumption patterns are shifting as a result of neoliberal policies that influence food accessibility and dietary delocalization. As women are often disproportionately affected by these trends, this study takes an ethnographic approach to understanding dietary delocalization among women in the province of Carhuaz. Through participant observation, 24-hour diet recalls, and the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale, this study identifies the tensions that exist as local peasant farmers increase participation in the global market economy. While all participating households experienced food insecurity, families regularly sold their own crops to meet the demands of modern life (e.g., education) and increasingly relied on store-bought, non-local food items. While exploratory, the study reveals a need for local and international entities to consider various structural drivers when developing programs and policies addressing nutrition in the region.